


Dear Cupid143...

by mellowie



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Ambiguous/Open Ending, College, Complicated Relationships, Drabble, Letters, Love Confessions, M/M, Relationship Advice, Romantic Fluff, Secrets, and they were ROOMMATES, dating but not dating, love advice, oh god they were roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:48:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26695519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mellowie/pseuds/mellowie
Summary: 「  Dear Cupid143... 」What could the problem be? Another lovelorn crush or unsatisfied relationship? That should be easy. People don’t usually see the solution present before them. Doyoung retrieved a notepad and a pen, ready to prescribe practical remedies for this heart-stricken soul.「 Dear Cupid143...I think I might have seriously fallen in love with my roommate. 」Doyoung's pen fell slack on his palm.
Relationships: Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung/Lee Taeyong
Comments: 9
Kudos: 93
Collections: Challenge #1 — and they were roommates





	Dear Cupid143...

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this little idea for quite some time, so I'm happy to write it out in some form for this challenge! I do enjoy a bit of Doyoung / Johnny / Taeyong dynamics too huhuhu. Hope it makes sense, enjoy~! :')

Heart palpitations. Cold sweat trickled down his back. The white screen blinked in return to his stare, an unassuming canvas of nothingness.

Taeyong’s fingers hovered over the keyboard, frozen in a mist of uncertainty. Reality dawned on him, sinking its teeth into his mind and rendering him beyond anxious. The fact that this moment could change everything he ever had. The repercussions of his forthcoming words, all at the mercy of his will. Just thinking about it now made him squirmish.

Which was all the more reason he should do this. 

“It’s okay, I’ve gotten this far, there’s no use turning back now...”

His attempts to reassure himself by regulating his breaths worked a little. Though he wasn’t sure if the nausea at the pit of his stomach was due to his churning of emotions, or the seven packets of sweet potato chips he downed in one go. 

Either way, he has to act on his resolve before the familiar click of the doorknob seals his fate. If the door opened, if his eyes landed on Doyoung’s dainty face for a split second, Taeyong knew he would lose every ounce of courage he had summoned to do this.

It was either now or another restless night of complicated dreams of his roommate.

He took a deep breath, allowing the cool air to clear his lungs. He focused his eyes on the blank page. Laying his emotions bare at his fingertips, he began to type to the pulse of his heartbeat.

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

「 _Dear Cupid143…_ 」

The moment his eyes drifted across those words, Doyoung leaned back against the downy pillow. He let himself sink into its foam, feeling as though it was made of cotton candy. Reaching for the steaming mug of lavender tea, he trained his eyes on the rim, but before he could take a sip, a sigh escaped his lips. “ _Here we go again…_ ”

“Something bothering you, Doyoungie?” Johnny peeked into the bedroom, looking fairly quizzical. Apparently, Doyoung’s lamentation was heavier than he expected.

“Oh, no, it’s nothing,” Doyoung eased his tone to dispel Johnny’s worries. He busied himself with shifting the laptop to make it balance better on his lap. “Just work as usual.”

“Ah,” Johnny nodded as though that explained everything. “One of those kinds, huh. Need any help? I happen to have some expertise on the very subject of love.”

Doyoung raised an amused eyebrow. He wasn’t sure if Johnny was the kind of person to go for radical romantic advice. But then again, that would be like the pot calling the kettle black.

“Thanks, but I can handle it,” Doyoung said in spite of his mindless tapping on the touchpad. Johnny watched him for a while, his back leaning against the wooden door, hand placed on one hip.

“Working hard even now after waking up, you’re so incredibly diligent,” he smiled. “I like that about you.”

His comment made Doyoung pause for a moment. Doyoung could never understand how Johnny could say something like that so casually. He doesn’t know if he could truly get used to it either. Seemingly by reflex, Doyoung’s immediate response was to scoff as always. 

“If I don’t come up with a reply by tomorrow, Jaehyun’s not going to let me off. I’ve procrastinated enough this week so I have to stay up to at least answer one letter by midnight. Also, can you get me more tea?” he stretched out his hand which held the empty mug, adding a soft “ _please_ ” at the end.

A playful grin danced over Johnny’s lips. “Of course,” he said as he came forward. “Anything for you, my love.”

“That again,” Doyoung let out the groan that he usually gives to Johnny’s cloying flirtations or bad puns. It didn’t seem to faze Johnny however as he swiped away the mug from Doyoung’s hand and, before Doyoung could react, leaned in close to peck him on the cheek.

Doyoung blinked but didn’t move. His expression remained placid to prevent showing any indication of surprise. Yet when Johnny noticed Doyoung‘s cheeks blooming red, he smiled even wider. 

Love. That was a tricky word when it involved Doyoung. What did he know about love to tell others how to go about their problems? Not much, it seemed, but just enough to get a consistent paycheck.

Johnny winked and spun around with the mug. Doyoung watched him leave until he was out of sight, his light laughter following him into the kitchen. Soon, the rush of water from the faucet and clinking sounds of the mug ensured that Johnny was fully preoccupied. The ambience snapped Doyoung back to his current task, causing him to heave a sigh as he made a few clicks across the screen.

He has received way more letters in his inbox this week than expected. He wanted to avoid unnecessarily long appeals for advice, ones that spilled their feelings so much that he could barely help contain them. Picking the latest letter with a reasonable length allowed him to skim through and get it done in a breeze. After the screen loaded, he leaned forward and settled into business mode.

「 _Dear Cupid143…_

 _This has been on my mind for a really long time. I have never told anyone this before, so I hope I make sense. You see, I have a problem..._ 」

What was next? Another lovelorn crush or unsatisfied relationship? That should be easy. People don’t usually see the solution already present before them. Doyoung retrieved a notepad and a pen, ready to prescribe practical remedies for this heart-stricken soul.

「 _I think I might have seriously fallen in love with my roommate._ 」

Doyoung's pen fell slack on his palm. Something gripped hold of his spirits, rooting him to the spot. His eyes snapped into focus, somehow unable to look away.

「 _We have known each other since high school, but didn’t talk to each other much back then. In fact, we barely exchanged more than a sentence. He was the vice-president and in charge of choir and was really smart and amazing. Everyone liked him, talked about him and wanted to hang out with him. I noticed him too, but I’ve always thought he was different from me, so I kept to myself at the side. But things changed when we entered the same college. It was there that I didn’t expect him to notice me back._ 」

Doyoung ran his thumb over the edges of the notepad, biting on the end of his pen. What struck him as most interesting was how the letter reminded him of a certain someone he knew very well. Doyoung felt an acute jab of deja vu, but didn’t know where to place it.

「 _I needed a place to stay and so did he. When I asked a friend for help, it happened that the two of us shared mutual connections, and those friends ended up asking us to move in together with them. I didn’t think there was any harm to it so I agreed. That’s how I met him again. We were the only two with a long history of knowing each other since high school, though we weren’t really close at that point. But I think it was that sense of familiarity that made us stick to each other more often. And that’s when we started becoming closer._ 」

 _That sense of familiarity._ Doyoung’s gaze lingered on those words. There was something within the recesses of his memory that compelled him to delve deeper. Has this particular sensation occurred to him somewhere before? What was it about this letter that drew him in? Before he could pursue the train of thought, he caught a delicate whiff of lavender.

Sure enough, a gentle knock on the door arrived. “Here’s your tea as per request,” Johnny said in a sing-song voice as he handed Doyoung his refilled mug. Doyoung chuckled at his antics, their hands brushing as he took the mug.

“Thanks, Johnny,” Doyoung said in between huffing at the surface of the piping tea to cool it down.

“No problem. See, what will you do without me?” Johnny shrugged. He turned slightly, as though he was about to leave, but hesitated. Leaning against the wall and sliding one hand into the pocket of his denim jeans, he asked tentatively, “when will you be finished with work, by the way?”

“Pretty soon,” Doyoung replied, glancing at the length of the remaining content. “I’ll finish reading this letter in about five, write some quick advice, and then head home.”

“Aw, going back so soon? Don’t tell me you came all the way here just to take a nap on my bed.”

Doyoung noted an inkling of his intentions, and when he looked up, he was met with a twinkle within Johnny’s honey-brown eyes.

“Wanna grab some dinner? I know a place down the street to the west. Taeil brought me with him once and I kid you not, the seafood there is to die for...”

Doyoung couldn’t deny the anticipation in Johnny’s voice. It was precisely what caused him to look down at the pages of his notepad, searching for a tactful response to avoid possible hurt, but the white spaces were as blank as his mind.

“ _And_ I can drive!” Johnny offered it as a last-ditch attempt after seeing Doyoung’s less-than-favourable reaction.

“Um, well, I’m really happy you asked me out,” Doyoung began as carefully as he could, trying not to wince at how his words might affect Johnny. “But I’m sorry, I’ve already made plans. Why don’t we go on Tuesday night? I’ll make time for you.”

“Plans?” Johnny folded his arms, the corner of his lips curling in amusement. “Is it the involving-someone-else kind of plan?”

“What do you mean? It’s only Taeyong,” Doyoung wondered what sort of implication Johnny was getting at. “We’re doing the dinner night thing where we cook for fun. I haven’t cooked in a long time, and since he likes kimchi fried rice, I’m going to prepare it for him.”

“Oh. Right…” Johnny straightened his posture. “So, like a dinner date at home?”

“What? No, we’re just hanging out. We do stuff like that all the time.” It was not merely confusion, but the feeling that this conversation was about something else entirely that made Doyoung uneasy. “I’ve told you before, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, I know. It’s just...your roommate,” Johnny said, his tongue mulling over the right word to describe his thoughts. “Sometimes the way he looks at you, it’s…”

“It’s...what?” Doyoung stared at him.

An awkward pause skipped between them. “Never mind, I’m probably reading into it too much,” Johnny waved it off with a laugh. “Pretend I didn’t say anything, alright? I like your friendship with Taeyong, actually. I find it sweet. I wouldn’t want it to change for any of you.”

Doyoung felt a pang hit his heart. _, Of course, nothing is going to change_ , he was about to say, but the uneasiness rising in his throat pulled him back. Johnny gave him a smile.

“I’ll leave you to your work now. Just holler if you need anything and I’ll be right here.”

It was all Doyoung could do but nod. There wasn’t enough time to say anything else, if there was anything he could say, because Johnny was already out of the door, shutting it quietly behind him. 

Doyoung dropped his head back onto the pillow and stared at the ceiling. A slight flick from his fingers lit the laptop screen out of the darkness, flashing the letter again and inviting his eyes back to the lines.

「 _Somehow along the way, things changed again. My roommate and I had to move to a new place last summer. All our other friends have to move out due to reasons, so now it’s just us. I was nervous about this arrangement at first. I had never lived with a single person before, let alone someone I was starting to get to know better. I didn’t know what would happen between us. But eventually, I got used to it. Maybe a little too used to it._

_To an outsider, it might look as though we did everything together. And I wouldn’t say they are_

_wrong. He always goes on walks and when he asks me to join him, I never say no. We talk about all sorts of things, from everyday life matters to utter nonsense. We make dinner for each other at home and watch movies late into the night. Oh, and we fight. A lot. One minute we are talking about how each other’s day was and the next we are wrestling on the floor and ending with some silly dance if the music is right. That’s how we usually play around. It might sound weird, but the thing is, I like it._ 」

Despite himself, Doyoung burst out laughing. Getting into arguments was one of his favourite things to do with his roommate, Taeyong, too. Taeyong knew how to get on his nerves, to tease him and strike at his weak spots. Doyoung didn’t know there could be another pair as goofy as them.

「 _But recently, something has begun to change. Or more specifically, something with me. One night, we went for a walk under the starry skies. At that moment, he said it “felt romantic”, or maybe it was the way he said it, but when our eyes met I had a strange feeling in my chest. It was like time had stopped. Since then, the same feeling has risen within me whenever I come across his gaze, and it has gotten more potent each time. I don’t know how to explain it. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this way towards someone._ 」

Something stirred within the alcove of his heart. He felt so immersed like he was there at the scene under the stars, or perhaps he had been there once too. Doyoung softened.

「 _We know everything about each other. Our past, our fears, our dreams, even trivial things. I find it so easy to talk to him. I’ve never felt so connected to someone else before._ 」

“I know what that feels like,” Doyoung whispered. No matter how warm Johnny’s touch could be, there were some things Doyoung hadn’t shared with him. At least, not yet.

「 _I think he’s one of the closest friends I ever had._ 」

Doyoung’s heart swum with emotions, His lips parted, as though he could reply to the letter in person. Little did he know, the door had been creaked ajar. 

“Oh, and before you leave,” Johnny popped his head into the room, snapping Doyoung from his trance. “Remember to take your pants back with you. I left it in the dryer so you can look for it there.”

“Um, yeah, sure,” Doyoung blinked. “I’ll get them.”

“I took the liberty to wash them for you. They have a pretty nice smell now if I do say so myself,” Johnny continued. “But seriously, stop leaving your undergarments at my house.”

Johnny disappeared as quickly as he appeared. Doyoung snorted and shook his head. He craned his neck forward, returning his gaze to the screen.

「 _But the problem is, he has been seeing someone else for a few months now. They are not exactly official, from what I know, they are keeping it casual. I met the guy a few times and he’s well-built, a smooth talker and really cool. Opposite of me, to be honest. I don’t want them to break apart obviously, but I don’t know what to do either._ 」

That did sound like a problem. If Doyoung’s hunch of where this was going was right, things were about to get messy, and he wasn’t sure how to break it to this person. 

「 _I really wish to know your thoughts on this. I can’t bring myself to confide in anyone else I know because I don’t want to blow things out of proportion. So many things have happened and now when I’m finally happy with how we are, I’m scared for it to change._

_Does all of this sound like anything? Am I crazy for feeling this way towards my roommate? Maybe it’s only because he has become someone really important to me, or there could be something more. I don’t know. All I know is that no matter what happens, I don’t want to lose him. Please help stop my feelings from spiralling out of control._

_Thank you for reading this far. I hope you have a nice day._

_Yours Sincerely,_

_Nervous Potato_ 」

Doyoung’s hands laid still on the touchpad. He glanced down at the paper he had set out in front of him, only to find it unbearably empty.

Realistically speaking, there was only one conclusion Doyoung could think of. And that was that all feelings Nervous Potato harboured towards their roommate should be eradicated at once.

Even so, Doyoung bit his lips. There was a certain connection gravitating him towards the letter. He didn’t want to offer his usual prudence and wind up muddling things for them. For the first time, he realised that the answer didn’t come easy.

And he didn’t like not knowing what to do.

“ _I should get back,_ ” Doyoung told himself.“ _Taeyong is probably waiting for me. I’ll think about a response over kimchi fried rice and everything will be fine.”_

Perhaps Taeyong might know how to handle this particular affair. They always tell each other their worries, sometimes even their secrets and their wants. All things personal but nothing too overboard.

Except that Doyoung would never ever reveal his side job as a relationship advice columnist. He liked Taeyong seeing him as shrewd, looking up to him, relying on him. He didn’t think Taeyong really _needed_ to be aware of this other side to him.

In the end, perhaps there were some things they didn’t know about each other after all.

❤

**Author's Note:**

> I really like things to get messy I suppose and now that I think about it Johnny seems caught in the middle of those two bumbling love fools hahaha
> 
> if you're curious, I was inspired by this [real-life letter!](https://kotaku.com/ask-dr-nerdlove-help-ive-fallen-for-my-roommate-1839860129)  
> (just don't ask what I was doing at a dating advice column... I have no idea LOL)


End file.
